Majority Of Charity’s Supported Housing Under Threat From LHA Cap

Analysis by Frontier Economics found that if the freeze on Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates continues into 2020/21 and there is no top-up funding available, 91% of The Salvation Army’s homes would cost more to run than there is funding to cover them. This would mean the charity would be forced to raise income elsewhere. The Salvation Army is calling on the government to delay applying LHA rates to supported housing until April 2022 to allow time for a new solution to be found that “accurately reflects the true costs of safe and secure supported housing”, a spokesperson said. Read more on Inside Housing.

Charity Hits Out At Report on Housing Benefit Payments

A charity has hit back after being placed on a list of "housing benefit millionaires". A report in a national newspaper claimed to expose "people who receive hundreds of millions" in housing benefit every year, using data from 324 councils across the country. The Plymouth list was topped by the Salvation Army, but the charity says the figures are misleading and insists it uses the money to help people. A spokeswoman said: "We work with some of the most vulnerable people in the local community and help them to get back on their feet. Read more on the Plymouth Herald website.